It is legal to have and use prescription drugs. They are controlled substances, but they’re not starkly illegal like many harder drugs. With the proper prescription, you can use them without fear of getting into any legal trouble.
But does that mean that you can use them any way that you want and it is all legal? For instance, say you have painkillers and a friend has been having some back pain. They don’t want to go to the doctor, so they just ask you if they can borrow the medication and use a few pills. Since you legally obtained those pills, are you allowed to loan them to your friend?
The prescription is only for you
The important thing to note is that a prescription does make it legal to own and use these medications, but only for the person to whom that prescription was written. All other use is still illegal.
So, even though your friend has a valid medical condition, they could face legal charges if they’re caught with the medication and without a prescription. Likewise, even though it was legal for you to get the medication, you could face charges if you’re caught giving or selling the drugs to someone else.
This is a frequent problem
This all sounds straightforward, but you’d be surprised by how often it happens. The problem is that it just doesn’t feel like a major issue at the time. Your friend needs help and you want to help. You feel like it’s coming from a good place, so it’s all right to “stretch” the rules a bit.
The issue is that you’re actually breaking those rules, as well as state and federal laws. No matter what your intent is, that can lead to some serious legal charges. You must understand not just what charges you’re facing and why, but what defense options you have. Your entire future could lie in the balance as you seek to avoid having one simple mistake or oversight define that future.